Paint roller gauge



Aug. 13, 1963 J. J. ERNST PAINT ROLLER GAUGE Filed April 19. 1961 John .1 Ernsf INVENTOR.

BY Maud WW fim United States Patent 3,100,313 PAINT ROLLER GAUGE John J. Ernst, R0. Box 72, Agra, Okla. Filed Apr. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 104,118 4 Glaims. (Cl. 15-25106) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in paint roller gauges for use in conjunction with paint pans and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, novel means whereby a paint roller may be expeditiously and uniformly coated with the correct quantity of paint, the device being particularly useful when most of the usual inclined rub or roll-out board of the pan is covered with paint and is therefore unavailable, also when the paint remaining in the pan is in the deep end portion thereof.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a roller gauge of the aforementioned character which may be vertically adjusted to function at the desired depth in the paint as the level thereof drops in the pan.

Another object of the invention is to provide a paint roller gauge of the character set forth which may be readily mounted for use on a conventional paint pan without modifying or altering same structurally.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a paint roller gauge of the character described which comprises but two sheets of metal or other suitable material, which will save considerable time and labor, prevent waste by excessive application to the wall or other surface, and which will ensure a job or improved appearance.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a paint roller gauge which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view, showing a gauge embodying the present invention in use on a paint pan, a portion of the roller being broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view in cross-section, taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view in front elevation of the resilient mounting clip or clamp; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the device per se, showing the clip and the platform or bracket separated.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a clip or clamp 6 of suitable resilient metal or other material. The clip 6 is adapted to be removably mounted on the usual front end wall 7 on the forward or deep end of a conventional rectangular paint pan 8. Toward this end the clip 6 includes an intermediate inner jaw '9 and a pair of outer side jaws lil which receive and frictionally grip the pan wall 7 therebetween. It will be noted that the intermediate jaw 9 engages with the inner face of the pan wall 7 and that the side jaws 10 are engaged with the outer surface of said pan Wall. The jaws 9 and '10 terminate in outwardly angularly bent free end portions 12 and 13, respectively. The jaws 10 further include outwardly bowed upper portions 14 which accommodate the usual top bead or rim :15 of the pan 8. The clip 6 still further includes a fiat, outwardly angularly bent top plate or flange '16. Struck inwardly and upwardly from the intermediate jaw 9 at its juncture with the flange 16 is an upwardly opening hook or member 17.

Removably and vertically adjustably mounted on the clip 6 is an angular bracket or platform 18 of metal or other suitable material. The platform 118 is elongated and extends longitudinally over the deep or forward end portion of the pan 8 when in use. The platform '18 includes an upwardly angularly bent end portion 19- having therein closely vertically spaced transverse slots 20 in which the hook 17 is selectively engageable for mounting said platform for vertical adjustment on the clip 6. The portion 19 of the platform 18 terminates at its upper end in an upstanding tab, tongue or handle 21. The platform 18 further includes an upwardly bent free end portion 22.

It is thought that the use of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the clip 6 is mounted centrally on the wall 7 of the pan 8. The hook 17 is then engaged in the correct slot 20 for supporting the platform 18 in the deep end portion of the pan 8 adjacent to but just below the surface of the paint in said pan, as indicated at 23. When the device is thus mounted in the pan the inclined free end portion 22 of the platform .18 is just flush with the surface of the paint 23, as shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing. The inclined flange as of the clip 6 permits the platform I18 to be positioned or angled to facilitate engaging the hook 17 in the desired slot 20. The roller, as indicated at 24, is then rolled back and forth a couple of times over the platform 1-8 in an obvious manner. As the paint is used and the level thereof drops, the platform 18 is adjusted downwardly on the clip 6. The adjustment range is sufiicient to permit the platform 18 to rest on the usual flat front portion 2 5 of the bottom of the pan 8. v

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed. For example, a threaded adjustment may be substituted for that shown, comprising,

for instance, a screw rotatably mounted on the member 19 of the platform 18 and threadedly connected to the clip 6 or vice versa.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A paint roller gauge comprising an elongated horizontal roller-receiving and supporting platform adapted to be mounted in a paint pan adjacent to but below the surface of paint therein, said platform including an upstanding member on one end having vertically spaced slots therein, said platform further including an upwardly bent free end portion providing a depth indicating gauge for said platform, a clip adapted to be removably mounted astraddle a Wall of the pan, and a member on the clip selectively engageable in the slots for vertically adjustably supporting the platform in the pan.

2. The combination of claim 1, said clip including jaws frictionally gripping said pan wall therebetween and further including an upstanding, outwardly inclined guide flange to facilitate aligning the hook with the selected slot.

3. In combination with a shallow, rectangular paint pan including a bottom and upstanding side, front and rear end walls, said bottom comprising a fiat forward portion and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined rear portion providing in said pan a deep forward portion of a uniform depth and a progressively rearwardly shallowing rear portion, a paint roller gauge comprising a resilient metallic clip mounted astraddle the front Wall and including coacting, elongated inner and outer jaws receiving and fric tionally gripping said front wall therebetween for removably securing said clip theron, and an elongated roller-re ceiving platform mounted longitudinally in said forward pan portion for submergence in paint therein and includ- Patented Aug. 13, 1963' per end an upstanding tongueproviding a handle for .manipulating the platform, wherein said platform further 7 includes an upwardly angulated free end portion providing 7 a visual depth gauge for said platform. s

4. 'In combination with a shallow,;rectangnlar paint pan including a bottom and upstanding side, front and rear end walls, said bottom comprising a'fiat forward portion and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined rear portion providing in said pan a deep forward portion of a uniform depth and a progressively rearwardly shallowing rear portion, a paint roller gauge comprising a re- Isilient metallic clip mounted astraddle the front Wall and including coacting, elongated inner and outer jaws receiving and frictionally gripping said front wall therebetween for removably securing said clip thereon, and an elongated roller-receiving platform mounted longitudinally in said forward pan portion for submergence'in paint therein and including on one end a right-angularly bent, upstanding member having a series of vertically spaced, trans verse slots therein, said clip further including a rearwardly struck, upwardly facing hook engageable selectively in the slots for removably and vertically adjustably mounting the platform on said clip, said member comprising on its upper end an upstanding tongue providing a handle for manipulating the platform, said clip further including an upstanding, forwardly inclined flange providing a guide engageable by said member for facilitating the engagement of the hook in the selected slot, said outer clip jaws comprising outwardly bowed portions, said pan further including a top bead engaged in said outwardly bowed jaw portionsfor further securing said clip in position, said 'platform further including an upwardly angulated free end portion providing a visual gauge for facilitating maintaining said platform at a desired depth in the paint.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A PAINT ROLLER GAUGE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HORIZONTAL ROLLER-RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING PLATFORM ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN A PAINT PAN ADJACENT TO BUT BELOW THE SURFACE OF PAINT THEREIN, SAID PLATFORM INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING MEMBER ON ONE END HAVING VERTICALLY SPACED SLOTS THEREIN, SAID PLATFORM FURTHER INCLUDING AN UPWARDLY BENT FREE END PORTION PROVIDING A DEPTH INDICATING GAUGE FOR SAID PLATFORM, A CLIP ADAPTED TO BE REMOVABLY MOUNTED ASTRADDLE A WALL OF THE PAN, AND A MEMBER ON THE CLIP SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE IN THE SLOTS FOR VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLY SUPPORTING THE PLATFORM IN THE PAN. 